Recent advances in fiber-optic technology have improved the data-carrying capacity of optical fibers. These advances have included wavelength division multiplexing and the use of simultaneous bidirectional data transmission. These techniques have significantly reduced the cost, size and weight of optical communication systems. However, one limitation of present optical communication systems is that they are generally not radiation hardened to a significant degree, and thus will not function effectively in the presence of ionizing radiation or electromagnetic interference (EMI).